Lost Hope
by kreecey
Summary: Tinkerbelle shows Regina to her soul mate, Robin Hood, but instead of running away Regina goes to meet him. The two soon fall in love but when King Leopold hears of his missing queen and sends out a search party Robin and Regina may be in serious danger.
1. Chapter 1

Regina curls her fingers against the bronze handle to the tavern door, the cool metal burning against her palm. _I can do this, I can be happy. _Her chocolate brown eyes close for a moment, her shoulders lifting in a nervous sigh before dropping back down to their normal position; and then she's opening the door. She's met with loud shouts and the wafting smell of sweat and burnt meat, causing her to wrinkle her nose. She wasn't one to be called prim or proper, but this, this was disgusting. _Of course I'd find my soul mate in her_. The queen rolls her eyes with a quick sigh before scanning the dirty little tavern. Her eyes dart from person to person, desperately searching for him, for her last chance at happiness and freedom. _No, no, no. He can't be gone!_ Her face became desperate, her head swiveling from side to side searching, desperately longing for the sight of the black inked lion. He was gone. Regina's mouth fell open, her eyes sank to her feet, staring at the dirty white shoes that encased them. She would have to return to the king and be forever trapped in the castle, in the binds of a loveless marriage. She let a single tear roll down her rosy cheeks.

"Pardon me, m'lady, but it's strange to see a beautiful woman such as yourself in a place as..." the voice behind her paused, as if the owner was pondering the right word to use in his mind, "well, in a place as repugnant as this. Are you alright?" The voice was thick with an accent that Regina found purely intoxicating and, yet, it carried a kindness with it that the queen had not heard in a long time. Her eyes remained downcast as she turned to face the man who seemed to be so concerned for her. A gasp caught in her throat. _The tattoo! _Pulling her eyes from the inky lion emblazoned on the man's arm, Regina found herself swimming in the deep depths of his blue eyes. "I- I um- yes- no I mean yes, but no- but um- I jus-" her words were lost, her thoughts jumbled from the sight of the lion tattoo. _The sight of my freedom. _The man laughed, a kind laugh. Not the laugh of her mother when she pleaded to choose her own love, or the harsh laugh of Leopold when she had requested the freedom to venture from the dank castle to the beautiful towns beyond. No. This laugh was filled with kindness and was accompanied with a smile so genuine it made her heart melt. It was the kind shared between friends, the kind that developed bonds and brought happiness and more laughter. Before she knew it, she wore a grin of her own, lighting up her features.

"Robin of Locksley at your service." The man- no Robin- stuck out his hand, urging Regina to shake it. With her jumbled thoughts now collected from her brief spell of excited confusion, she gripped his hand in a gentle, polite shake.

"Regina." His eyes widened a bit at the mention of her name. Another wave of confusion hit Regina before she remembered. _I'm the queen… of course he doesn't want to be near me. _But then Robin was smiling again. Regina felt her knees turn into stumbling jell-o, she was already in love with that smile.

"Well, your majesty, it's both an honor and a pleasure to be in your presence." He gave a slight bow, never breaking their eye contact and his intoxicating smile never faltering.

"As it is a pleasure to be in the presence of you Robin of Locksley." Regina returned his smile and**,** with it, a small curtsey. And there it was again, that contagious laugh of his; but he wasn't laughing at her, but with her.

"Well, your majesty, I've heard many a tale of the kind and powerful queen."

"As I have heard the dashing stories of the great prince of thieves." His blue eyes widened again. A giggle escaped from Regina, "I know exactly who you are, Robin Hood." And it was the moment she had laid eyes his handsome face, she had recognized him. His face graced many wanted posters throughout the kingdom. "It's alright. I'm actually quite fond of thieves." Regina raised her eyebrows, a flirtatious smirk pulling at the edges of her lips. Robin returned her look with one as equally, if not more, flirtatious.

"Again, I must ask that you forgive me for wondering, your majesty, but if you are married to the king, then why isn't he accompanying you to this…" he trailed off, "to this place?"

Regina's smile fell immediately at the mention of her husband. "Just because I am married does not mean I choose **it,** nor that I am happy with it." Her tone had grown harsh and 's face fell to match her own.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to trouble you." Regina dared a glance back into his eyes. They were swimming in sadness and something else. _Rejection. Someone actually feels rejected by me._

"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have grown harsh with you. It's just that I don't feel married, I feel trapped." Her eyes burned with the effort of holding in tears that she was so desperately trying to hide. Regina watched as Robin's calloused hand gently reached for hers and entwined with her smaller, thinner fingers. She broke her gaze from their entwined hands to look up into his soft eyes.

"Follow me." It was a request, not a command. He was asking her to do something, not demanding. He was the exact opposite of her husband. While Leopold was cold and indifferent to her, Robin was caring and kind.

"Where are we going?" It was a simple question.

"Well, I don't exactly enjoy talking surrounded my smelly, loud brutes. Do you?" Robin smiled as he finished his explanation. Regina returned the smile with an additional laugh.

"Not at all." Regina replied, "wait."

The prince of thieves glanced back at the queen. "Just wait one second." She hadn't noticed it, but the entire time she had spent talking to him, talking to her soul mate, she had been absentmindedly tugging at the tight wedding wing that clung tightly to her ring finger. With a deep sigh, Regina clutched at the ring, her nails grasping at the constricting gold. With a few determined twists, the ring slid off her finger and fell into the palm of her hand. Glancing up at Robin, she explained, "I don't need this anymore." He smiled at her and she returned with her own smile, a smile full of the joy of freedom and the life that she was only just now beginning to live. "Goodbye Leopold. This my life, not yours." She placed the ring onto a nearby table before she picked it up again. "You know what? It doesn't even deserve to be on the table." Her voice was mixed with mocking laughter, mocking Leopold. Holding the ring between her index finger and her thumb as if it was a roach needing to be disposed of, she dropped it into a nearby mug of whisky. She watched as the gold band twisted and turned in the amber liquid, the diamond glinting against the light. When it finally settled on the bottom Regina took a deep breath. _I'm free! _"C'mon! Let's go!" Regina laced her fingers in between Robin's once more, an excited smile playing at her features.

Robin trekked forward towards the wooden door, his fingers still gently tangled with hers. A warmth spread up her arm, spreading from where his finger encased hers until she felt safe, she felt like nobody could hurt her. When Regina shook her head and brought herself back to full consciousness, Robin had already fought their way out of the tavern and onto the winding cobblestone street. Regina looked up at his face. She followed his gaze until her eyes found what he was gazing at. Up the road sat a gentle sloping hill covered in thick soft grass and centered on the top, illuminated by the moonlight, was a single apple tree.

"C'mon!" Regina's excitement took over her and she was dragging Robin down the rocky street towards the lonely apple tree. She was so lost in her own inner excitement that she was shocked when the hard cobblestone turned to soft grass. Regina twisted on her heel on instinct as her body tried to recover from the sudden change in terrain, her balance immediately lost and**,** with a shocked gasp, she toppled forward onto the soft hill, dragging a confused Robin with her.

Somehow, Robin was the first to hit the ground. He landed with a pained grunt on his back, he gave another grunt of pain as Regina toppled on top of him.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that!" Regina pushed up off of him, her arms still a little weak from collapsing. Her elbows burned with the pain of slamming into the ground with the added pressure of holding her body up. She collapsed again on top of the thief. Scrambling to regain her composure**,** the queen pushed up until she hovered over Robin. She was preparing to push off of him using her arm so she would roll sideways and off of her soul mate instead of landing on top of him once more, when her gaze caught his. Her face hovered over his own, a mere few inches away. She could feel his warm breath against her face, her own gasping breaths mixed with his. Her mouth fell open, lost for words. _What do you even say in this type of situation? Sorry I fell on you, but I don't regret it. I'm kind of already falling in love with you so… _Regina's thoughts blurred together until she became lost in her own little world of thought. _What do I say? What do I do? I'm so stupid! I never should have left the castle! He hates me now… _Regina's eyes flitted desperately over Robin's face, searching for something, some kind of emotion, but she was too lost in her own thoughts to think about anything else. Her mother's voice drowned out her thoughts and suffocated her mind. _Love is weakness, Regina. He doesn't love you. _Her breaths quickened, her eyes widening in pain and sadness. What if her mother was right? _No. My mother doesn't decide my fate. I do. _Regina blinked her panicked eyes. Once. Twice. Three times, until they were finally focused on Robin's face still only mere inches from hers. How long had she been thinking to herself? Not long apparently because Robin's blue eyes were still trained on hers, his eyes never breaking from her confused face.

"Robin?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember when I said just because I was married doesn't mean I'm happy?"

"Yes, of course."

Regina took in a deep breath and shut her brown eyes gently, closing the space between them. Her lips fell against his softly and, for a moment, panic set in when he did not respond. The fear pounding in her head was soon joined by her mother's harsh voice. _He doesn't love you. _But then his lips are moving against hers. Regina sighs gently, never breaking the kiss. She doesn't know how long they stay there, just that she never wants it to end, never wants to return to the dank and dark castle. She wants to stay here in Robin's warm embrace. Finally, Regina is the first to pull away. Her eyes desperately searching, her ears carefully waiting for him to become angry. Waiting for rejection. But he isn't angry, he doesn't reject her. He wraps her arms around her, pulling her closer. Suddenly her eyes are tired, her eyelids drooping.

"Robin?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't want to go back to the castle. I don't want to leave this."

"Then don't."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed chapter 1! Thank you for being patient and waiting for chapter 2! Well here it is! I worked a little longer on this one so it should be more detailed and longer than chapter 1. Please read and review! **

"What?" Regina furrowed her brows in confusion, "I have to go back. I don't have anywhere else to go." The reality of the situation hit her and her heart sank. _No matter what I do, I'll always be trapped_. _But, I want to be with Robin. _No. She forced the thought down, shoved it to the back of her mind where it would reside until her feelings pushed forward and would overcome her once more.

"Regina, just come with me." Robin's lips turned up in a soft smile as he looked down at her, curled up against his side in the soft grass. She looked beaten down and tired now that he could finally see her, tortured by the hand of cards life had thrown at her. "I can't let you go back to that wretched king and remain trapped in that horrible castle for the rest of your life." He felt her small frame stiffen against him. He couldn't help the anger and fury that immediately emerged inside him towards the king. He would never understand how someone could force a woman as kind and giving as Regina into an imprisonment disguised as a marriage.

Her stiff fingers curled into his shirt and she buried her face gently in the crook of his neck, hiding the tears that slipped from her tired eyes. "It's not that easy, Robin." Her voice was barely a whisper, hoarse from tumbling down the hill.

"And why isn't it?" His words weren't meant to anger her, quite the opposite really. But Regina's eyes flared with a fierce anger. Her fist clenched against his shirt. _How could he possibly think any of this was just as simple as running away? How could I..._

She pushed off of him until she was sitting up, using her arms to support the rest of her body weight as she leaned back to glare into his face. She immediately missed the warmth she felt when she was near him, but she couldn't get used to it. It couldn'tbe like this. But his scent, his warmth… Everything about him was intoxicating,and she just wanted to curl up next to him in the grass. To hide from the excruciating pain that life insisted on throwing at her again and again, until she just wanted to disappear. But she couldn't.It couldn't be this easy, because it never is.

"It just isn't! Not everything is that simple! Some people don't get to be free and do whatever they want, like you!" Her voice shook with anger, her features pulled down in an angry frown. "Some people have had hard lives! You've gotten the chance to choose your own destiny. Some people don't get that! Some people are forced into things that they never wanted and lose everything!" She was shouting now, her voice echoing offthe hill, but she didn't care who heard. She needed to let it all out. And Robin let her. He took every single harsh word and let her scream and yell and let out all the anger she had built up over her life.

Robin sat up alongside her, his eyes daring to meet hers. She was shaking, her teeth chattering, breaths coming in ragged puffs. "Regina, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you I ju-" She held up one of her hands, cutting him off.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I just needed to let it out. You didn't deserve that." Regina shook her head gently, her long black curls falling into her face. "I understand if you want to leave." She would understand, but it would hurt. Robin reached forward gently, as not to startle her, and brushed the dark hair from her face. Gently tucking it behind her ear, his calloused finger fumbling through the dark waves. It was comforting. She leaned back into his touch.

"There is nothing you could do to make me leave." His hand left her hair where it had begun combing through the knots and fell to her hand where their fingers entwined. "Sometimes everyone just needs to vent out their anger. I've made more than a few Merry Men angry doing so myself." Robin smiled at her, biting his bottom lip between his teeth.

"Merry Men?" Regina raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner, curious to learn about these "merry men". It wasn't a surprise. She had always been curious, meddling in things to figure out how they worked or butting in on a conversation to learn more about the topic. Her mother had scolded her for it.

"They're a group of thieves that live in the forest not far from here. It's where I live." Robin gestured with his free hand towards the large forest to their left, the trees casting long shadows across the hill. Regina hadn't noticed it before. She had been too wrapped up in their on going conversation and the feeling of his fingers fiddling with her hair. She absolutely loved the warm feeling that filled her when she was around him and she loved the feeling of being free. Her mother couldn't scold her, couldn't tell her that a queen should be with her king, not a thief. _He is better than Leopold could ever dream of being. _Leopold could not lock her away for asking to walk through the gardens. _I can go wherever I want with Robin! I am not __a __child, and I am through being a prisoner! Find another queen, Leopold! I am not a doll, I am not a slave, and I most certainly am not your queen!_

"Does your offer still stand or did my yelling take that off the table?" Regina's eyes widened for a moment, worried that he would say no and terrified of returning back to the king.

"Offer? You mean coming with me? Of course I still want you to come!" Robin jumped to his feet, pulling Regina with him. The smile that brightened his features more than usual had Regina wearing a matching smile of her own. "Will you come with me?" His hand squeezed hers gently, his eyes scanning her face. Regina laughed at his eagerness, covering her mouth with her free hand to stifle the noise.

"Of course I'll come with you! I wouldn't want it any other way!" Robin's bright smile immediately returned and he let out a joyful laugh, picking her up and spinning her around. Regina let a laugh of her own match his. When her toes met the grassy earthen floor again, Robin leaned forward, his face was inches from her own, that sweet smile still gracing his face. Regina's smile widens as his hands gently run through her hair and his lips fall to hers. Regina's own hands find their way to his shoulders and she uses the strength in her arms to pull herself up until she is a bit taller. She ignores the ache that shoots through her feet as she balances on her tiptoes, eagerly trying to match his height. Robin gently pulls back after a minute only to lean in a second later to place one last kiss on her lips. The kiss is sloppy, the smile on her lips prohibiting it from being anything less than sloppy. But that's ok. Robin doesn't mind.

"I must say, m'lady, you're quite a good kisser."

"You're not so bad yourself, thief." The title is meant as a tease. She would never call him thief in the wrong intention of hurting him. Regina stares at his lips a second longer before her gaze travels to meet his eyes. She's trapped in the blue depths there. It isn't until he gently nudges her arm that she realizes he's been talking to her.

"Hmm?" Her murmur is barely audible, she'sstill distracted by his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you"

"I know," he laughs. "I said, are you ready?" He squeezes her hand gently, comforting her. This is the biggest decision she will ever make in her life, but no decision has ever been easier. She leans forward with ease and bumps her nose teasingly against his.

"Lead the way, Locksley!" Her smile is reflected in his own face as he gives anexcited bounce on his toes. He is walking forward, his strides long and fast. Regina stumbles after him, the unexpected tree roots and tufts of grass littering the ground and tripping her every few steps.

"You'll love them! The Merry Men that is! They're great, and you'll never find a group of bandits as kind as them, though I suppose bandits aren't normally kind anyway." A pondering look crosses his face for a mere moment before he continues rambling. "There's not a safer camp, either! No one has ever found it! We've made sure of that, hiding it in the deepest parts of the forest and such. I think you'll like it. I think you'll like the merry men, too, though sometimes they are quite loud and can be rather smelly, but you'll get used to it. There are the rowdy ones, well actually most of them are quite rowdy but once you get to kno-" Regina halted them. Robin paused in his long rambling speech to turn and look at her, the puzzled look returning.

"Robin, they sound wonderful." And she meant it. Robin pulled her forward gently, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Regina, how are you so perfect?" Regina snorted a laugh.

"Trust me, I'm far from it."

"Well," Robin placed a gentle kiss the tip of her nose. Regina closed her eyes, a blissful sigh filling her lungs. "You're perfect to me."

"Robin, what if they don't like me?" The trek through the forest had been long and Regina's legs ached from stumbling over gnarled roots and clumps of moss. Scratches ran lengths up and down her legs where briars had snagged and tore at her skin. She was adapted to the smooth riding hills and plains of horse pastures, but she certainly wasn't used to this. Robin smiled.

"You have nothing to worry about, love. They'll love you." Robin squeezed her hand again. It seemed to be a habit of his, squeezing her hand when she was nervous or scared.

"What about this stupid dress?" her voice was questioning as she gestured the dress she was wearing. The fabric that was white, once upon a time, was stained by the earthy forest floor. It wasn't as if she was fond of the dress, in honesty she despised them. She would much rather switch the silky white fabric for a simple outfit comprised of pants, boots, and a simple shirt and vest. But,she also didn't know the standards these people held for one another.

"Regina, nobody here is going to judge you on what you're wearing." He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. The tension and worry immediately melted away.

"Good, because I never liked dresses anyway." The smirk that pulled at her lips caused a laugh to slip from Robin.

"Now c'mon, my queen. Come meet the merry band of thieves." Regina slammed her elbow into Robin's ribs, causing him to grunt in pain. A laugh played at her voice.

"It's Regina, yo-" Regina's mouth fell open. Robin had guided her off the path and now before them sat a large clearing. Moonlight filtered through the tall tree branches, illuminating the large wooden "houses" that sat among the branches. Long rope ladders fell from each tree house, leading to a trapdoor in the floor of each one. There wasn't a single building on the ground, the only sign that the area was inhabited by people was the large campfire protruding from the ground in the middle of the moonlit clearing.

"Robin! This is amazing! How d-" Regina's sentence was cut short by a chorus of loud deep shouts from the tree houses above them.

Regina looked up at Robin to find he was already looking at her, a reassuring look softening his eyes. "Ready?"

"Yeah." She breathed. Her shoulders were stiff with worry and she stood straight and regal as if her mother were meeting her and not a simple group of thieves.

"Here we go." Robin's fingers tightened around hers, causing her to grin as she examined the heads popping out of windows to examine the clearing below.

"Robin's back!" A rather large man with a curly brown mop of hair shouted from the top of one of the rope ladders. A chorus of voice joined in his shouts. Regina watched as the doors in the floors of the cabin flew open and feetpopped out from the openings. After the feet came the rest of the men asthey descended down the ladders, skipping over rungs as if they were invincible and wouldn't plummet 30 feet to the hard forest floor if they fell. Regina found her hand stiffening in Robins grasp, fear for the safety of the rambunctious men was eating away at her.

"Wow, they really like you here, don't they?" Regina still hadn't caught her breath from the excitement of seeing the camp and her voice hitched slightly.

"Well I am their leader." Robin answered with a laugh as he looked around at the men descending from the ladders. They were making their way over to the pair with loud shouts.

"You're their leader?"

Robin didn't get the chance to answer before the large man who had shouted earlier was pulling him forward into a massive bear hug. Regina gasped as Robin's fingers were forced to untangle from hers as she was forced back by the crowd of men to the edge of the clearing.

"Robin, where have you been? You said you'd only be gone for a few days! Not a week!" One of the men shouted.

"Yes, well," Regina caught a glimpse of Robin peering over the crowd searching for her as he answered the man. "Plans changed." He wasn't very focused on answering the pondering questions, just getting through the crowd to Regina.

Regina was fuming. She was new here! She was confused, had no idea where she was, and the only person she knew was Robin! And these men had the nerve to shoo her aside like some pet!_I will not be a pet here as well!_

"Hey. Excuse me." She tried to keep her voice calm, she really did, but she couldn't stop the edge of annoyance that accompanied each word. "Please, I need to get to Robin." She tried to push through the outer edge of the group but arms and shoulders shoved her back until, once more, she resided at the tree line of the clearing. _That's it!_ Regina clenched her fist, her blood boiling.

"HEY!" Regina screamed. Her teeth clenched, breaths heavy with anger. She hoped nobody had noticed the spark of electricity that had erupted from her fist and traveled up her arms for only a moment. _Magic. They can't know I have magic. They'll all hate me… If they don't already. _No one seemed to notice the electricity, but all eyes were on her. Not one person had noticed her standing there and mouths fell open and the noise in the clearing died down when her voice rose above the rest. Everyone stared at her as if she were a ghost that had waded through the forest and had appeared out of nowhere. Well, all eyes except Robin,who stood in the middle of the crowd grinning at her like an idiot. "I need to get to Robin, and the next person who pushes me out of the way is going to pay for it!" Regina wasn't tall and she wasn't particularly noticeable, but when she wanted to, she could scare just about anyone. She had learned that from years of persecution from the royal teachers. Ever since she was young, her mother had insisted that she must be taught by only the finest teachers in the land. All of them had scolded her harshly and yanked her hair or shoved her shoulders, telling her that her posture wasn't correct, her hair was too messy, her dress to wrinkled. On her 12th birthday, one of her teachers, a young women whom Regina loathed, had pushed her and told her that she needn't slouch, for it looked improper. She had snapped, screaming relentlessly at the women until her teacher had run from the castle room. She never had trouble scaring anyone after that. Another shoulder bumped into Regina, bringing her back from her thoughts. The former queen flipped around, eyes flaring with fury that yet another person had pushed her, only to find it was Robin. During her anger she hadn't noticed him push his way through the crowd to her side, his hand was now gently rested on her shoulder.

"Well, everyone, this is Regina, and she'll be staying with us from now on. She isn't used to this so please be kind and let her get adjusted." Robin's hand that was resting on her shoulder had calmed her and she was able to properly scan the crowd before her. Amongst the men,and there were probably around twenty of them, stood about 10 women. All of them seemed to be around the age of twenty or younger, the youngest looking around 15. Regina herself was only 17, but it seemed her bout of anger had earned her the respect of almost everyone there. Everyone's respect except for one woman at the back of the crowd. The women had olive skin, her black hair only a few inches past her shoulders. If looks could kill, Regina would be dead. This woman wore a look that could intimidate anyone with a single glance. But not Regina. Regina wasn't the slightest bit afraid of this girl. Peeling her eyes from the women, Regina looked back up at Robin. Apparently, he had been speaking to the crowd while she scanned it because everyone seemed to be dispersing now on a path back to their own tree houses.

"C'mon," Robin tugged gently at her hand. "I'll show you where you'll be living." Regina didn't budge. Instead, she gripped tighter to his hand, forcing him to turn around and face her. She met his eyes, determined.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scream at them like that. I was just pushed around at the castle and I don't want the same thing to happen here." She looked straight into his eyes. She was tired of being the scared little girl that hid in the corners of the castle. She could be herself here. She could be the bold, courageous woman she had been before her forced marriage with Leopold.

"It's alright darling, you've earned their respect." Robin smiled down at her and meant to continue across the clearing, but again Regina didn't budge.

"Robin, I mean it. I don't want them to see me as some helpless little girl. That's not who I am." Her voice was stern. Robin looked down at her, his smile a little gentler but never ceasing.

"I know. None of them will see you like that. I've seen the real you. I've seen the bold and audacious woman that was forced to hide behind a cruel king. I have never, and will never,doubt your strength, and if anyone does, well, they'd be a fool." Robin smiled, the dimples in his cheeks deepening.

"Thank you. For everything." Now it was her turn to gently squeeze his hand.

"Anything for you." His voice was so kind. Regina had missed the feeling she got when someone spoke to her like she was a real person and not a trophy to be put on display. "Now, come on.I want to show you your cabin!"

"I- I get my own cabin?" Regina's eyes widened and her heart skipped a bit.

"Of course!" Robin pulled her forward across the grassy clearing, excitement causing his steps to bounce a little more than he would have liked.

The pair stopped in front of a tall rope ladder. It was longer than the others, the house in the tree higher up than the rest, it was barely visible through all the branches that grew from the wide oak.

"After you, m'lady." Robin gestured towards the rope ladder dangling in front of them. Regina smiled and climbed up the first two rungs of the ladder until she was heightened evenly with Robin. Leaning back, she placed a gentle kiss to his lips. Robin closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, kissing her back gently. Regina pulled back with a tight smirk.

"Now we're the same height." She laughed, still in a daze from the gentleness of the kiss. Robin smiled.

"What is it?" Regina had paused her eyes traveling to the clearing behind Robin. There stood beside a tree the women that already had a deep hate for Regina. The woman's face was pulled up into a snarl.

"Regina?" Regina shook her head and looked down at Robin.

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong?" he asked again.

"It's nothing." Regina turned her attention back to the ladder. Wrapping her fingers around the next rung.

"Regin-"

"It's nothing." There was a finality to her voice. The conversation was over. Robin had enough to worry about, without having to worry about someone disliking Regina already. There were bigger problems to worry about. Scaling the ladder quickly, Regina crawled through the door, followed quickly by Robin. She gazed around the large room in front of her. There was a large crate in the corner, clothes spilling over the sides. A large bed was in the other corner and a piece of furniture that resembled a couch sat beside it.

"Thi- this is mine?" Regina questioned. She stepped cautiously across the wooden floor until she settled on standing in the middle of the room, where she could get a view of everything around her.

"Do you like it?" Robin's voice was hopeful his gaze matching his tone.

"I- I love it! This is amazing!" It was amazing. Regina hated the polished, uncomfortable furniture of the castle. She loved the cozy little space of the cabin, the soft bed, and, well, she had thought the furniture piece beside the bed was a couch but she wasn't exactly sure what it was anymore, but she loved it as well!

"Robin," Regina turned and grabbed hold of his hands. "This is perfect." Her eyes were squinted in pure joy, her smile reaching as high as it could.

Robin pulled her closer and kissed her hairline gently, his hand drawing circles on her back.

"I'm glad you like it." He pulls away a bit to look into her eyes. "And you know what the best part is?" Robin pulled her over to a large door on the wall she hadn't noticed in her excitement. Opening it, Robin pulled her out onto a balcony where a large bridge stretched out to the balcony of another tree house that was nestled in a tree beside hers. "That's mine." Robin pointed the tree house across the bridge. "So we can see each other all of the time."

Regina let a gasp of joy slip from her mouth. She had never felt so loved in her life.

"Well, I'll let you get settled. Just yell if you need anything, alright?" Regina nodded, letting Robin's hand go as he stepped cautiously out onto the bridge. "And Regina?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Regina gasped, her feet stumbling a bit. "You- you do?"

"More than you'll ever know." Robin threw her a smile before he turned and walked the rest of the way across the creaking bridge. It wasn't until he closed the door to his own cabin that Regina let herself turn and stumble back into her own cabin. She closed the door and sank back against it, replaying the words over and over in her head. _I love you. I love you. I love you. _A blissful sigh filled her lungs and a joyful tear slipped down her cheek. _This, this is home._

But as she curled up into the sheets on the bed and breathed in the sweet smell of forest, she realized that she had forgotten to tell him that she loved him to. And she did. She loved him more than anything. _I love you, Robin. _And then her eyes fall closed and sleep takes hold of her.

**Well, what did you guys think? You'll learn more about Regina's past, who the mystery woman that hates Regina is, and a little more about Leopold in chapter 3! Please review!**

**Also thanks to my amazingly awesome beta almister12!**


	3. Chapter 3

"No! No, don't hurt him! Stop!" Regina's throat stings with the pain of screaming, her voice turning harsh and rough from her strained vocal chords. "Leopold, stop! He didn't do anything! Just leave him alone!" She starts forward as Leopold lifts his hand in the air again, a leather whip waving lazily in the breeze. Robin's blood drips from the end and stains the grass.

"This is your fault Regina! You should have just stayed in the castle and this wouldn't be happening!" Leopold pulls his eyes away from Robins bleeding form, slouched on the ground, to scream into Regina's pleading face. His eyes are cold, dreadfully cold. There is no emotion, only a maddening happiness that is so monstrous Regina finds herself looking away. She yanks her body forward, tries desperately to reach Robin, block the blows meant for him with her own body. But a guard clasp tightly to her wrist, his metal gloves sinking into her skin. She can feel warm blood running down her hands, but she doesn't care, her screeching continues, piercing the cold night air.

"Kill me!" She closes her eyes as another sob wracks her entire body, sending her to her knees in the soft grass. "Kill me, instead! Just let him go!" But Leopold raises his hand, the whip following like some horrible extension to his arm, an extension that snaps through the air with an aching whistle that has Regina cringing and crying. She hears the deafening crack as the cold leather tip slashes Robins skin open once more. He cries out in pain, doubling over in the grass until his face is inches from the ground. His breathing is heavy and uneven as his shoulders fall and rise, blood oozing down his neck.

"You did this to him. You're the monster, Regina." The guard lets go of her wrist, sending her sprawling out in the grass. Robin's blood has created a thick sheet of sticky warmth over the once smooth grass, his body lying inches from her. "Robin! Robin no! Please! Please, come back to me!" She struggled to her knees, her hand clasped gently around Robin's blood covered face. She pulls his head gently into her lap, shaking him slightly. "Please, Robin. Please. Please don't leave me. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Robin." Her voice is barely a whisper, a sob shaking her body every few seconds. "You didn't deserve this. I'm so sorry." She presses her forehead gently to his. A day ago if she had done this, he would have kissed her, teasingly called her "your majesty". She would've elbowed him in the ribs, smiled and said "It's Regina to you!" But now he is quiet, cold under her touch. He will never kiss her again. She will never hear his voice again. She swears to herself then and there. _I will kill Leopold._

Regina's eyes fly open, a horrible screech of terror escaping her lips. Sweat slips down her face and lands on her pillow, her whole body shakes and she's curled into a tight ball. _It was just a nightmare. _She tries to let out a long breath to calm herself, but it's caught in her throat. It is now swollen from screaming, and she finds herself coughing until she feels like her lungs will explode.

"It's ok. Robin's ok. It was just a dream." She whispers encouragingly to herself as she sits upright in her bed, now soaked with sweat. Her arms shake angrily and she collapses back into a tight ball. She can hear distant footsteps running towards her and she shakes her head, trying to bring herself back to reality, but all she can see is Robin lying there, bleeding to death and she can't do a thing about it.

"Regina! Regina! Are you alright? Hey, look at me. What's wrong?" Warm hands settle on her sweaty cheeks and turn her head gently. Everything is blurry. She tries blinking her eyes, once, twice, and the tears that had settled on her lashes drip away, leaving salty trails down her face. She finally sees him, not covered in blood, but a sharp look of worry covering his face instead. "Robin!" she finds her strength and pushes up off of the sweat soaked mattress, her arms fly around her neck, pulling him closer. "You're okay! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry." He sits down gently on the side of the bed and it sinks in slightly where he settles, but it only pushes her closer to him. He pulls her forward gently, wrapping his arms around her until she buries her tear stained face in the crook of his neck.

"Hey, it's alright. It's alright. I'm right here. What happened?" His fingers draw lazy patterns on her back, and she relaxes at the contact.

"Yo- you were- no Leopold. Leopold wa- was killing you." She stutters around her words, gasping as the memories of the nightmare bring another blistering wave of pain. "And I couldn't do anything an- and he-" Regina's head fell back to his shoulder as a sob shook her, her face cringed up in pain and her fingers tighten their vice grip on the collar of his shirt. "He killed you, Robin!" It seemed like her entire body gave away at the words, she sank into his arms, crying as if it had all happened, as if Robin was really dead. Robin ran the pad of his thumb across her cheekbone gently, wiping away a tear that slipped from her eye. She pushes him away shaking her head violently.

"I can't stay here anymore. I have to leave." She disentangles their entwined fingers and stands from the bed, her legs shaking slightly from the sudden movement, but she continues making her way towards the ladder. _If I stay, he get's hurt._

"Regina! Wait!" Robin's warm, calloused fingers settle on her shoulder, stopping her just as she opened the door. "Please don't leave!" She yanks her shoulder from his grasp and turns her mouth into a twisted scowl. One of the few things she had learned from her wretched mother was how to push people away.

"And what happens if I stay? Terror, Robin. Everywhere I go, terror, and pain, and conflict follows!" Her hands clasped around the tightly knit rope that held the door closed, but Robin is speaking again, and his words have her letting go of the rope and turning to face him.

"And what happens if you go? Have you ever thought about that? Leopold is horrible, Reg-" She doesn't let him finish.

"You think I don't know that?" Her voice has changed from a kind tone to a harsh laughter, but he doesn't plan on backing down.

"Exactly Regina! I know that you are fully aware of how wretched he is, but what you may not know is how much everyone here needs you!" His voice is angry now, louder than he would like it to be. "Every person in this camp needs you! You are brave, but you know the difference between bravery and stupidity. You are kind, but you know when anger is necessary. This camp, these people! They need that! I need that!" He is out of breath by the time he is finished, his shoulders rising and falling in uneven time. Her eyes meet his.

"Nobody's ever needed me before…" Robin reaches forward and gently clasp her hand in his own, pulling her closer until their foreheads meet. He can smell her soft pine scent, and theirnoses are only inches apart.

"I do. I need you." She almost smiles, but it falters and disappears before it's even fully reached her face.

"If I stay, you'll get hurt. Leopold will find us, and he will not hesitate to kill us."

"I won't let that happen." His accented voice is full of confidence.

"It's not like you have much of a choice in the matter. Leopold has an army, all we have is a few well trained thieves." Any hope that she may have had hidden in her heart faded. _Of course this couldn't last_.

"Well my dear, we have something Leopold does not." Her eyebrows perked up in interest causing a warm smile to spread across Robin's dimpled face. "Leopold may have an army, but they work for the money he has to offer them. They are not family, they have no love for one another. The Merry Men are family. We fight to the death for one another. You won't find a stronger bond than the one here. Please, Regina, just give it a chance." His blue eyes were pleading as he squeezed her hand gently.

"So help me, Robin, if you get yourself killed, I- I don't know what I'll do! But it won't be good!" Her voice was stern, like a mother scolding a young child for playing with a snake, but a warm smile turned up the corners of her mouth. Robin wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly.

"I love you. I know you may not believe me, but it's true." He pulls back from the embrace and settles his hand in her own. "I understand if you won't say it back. You've been through a lot in your life. I just wanted you to know." A tear slips from her eyes and she ducks her head quickly, pulling her free hand to her face to wipe it away. "I'll let you get changed. I want you to come meet someone." A final squeeze to her hand, _it was still a habit of his, _and he's descending the rope ladder, allowing her privacy.

Regina turned and scanned the large room for the trunk of clothes she had seen yesterday. She had been so tired she hadn't been able to properly examine the contents, but now she sauntered over to it. Her hands found the cool brass latch and she ran her hands over the smooth surface. _It's just like the door latch to the tavern. _She smiles and tugs at the latch with force until she hears a sharp _"click!" _and the lid flies open. Regina's eyes widen at the vast amount of clothes that lie before her. Shirts, pants, and the occasional boot spill over the edges of the crate. _Not a single dress. _She sighs in relief. Running her hands through the clothes she finds a brown leather vest and white cotton shirt. Slipping the two on and discarding the uncomfortable white dress, she exams her new outfit. The vest ties tightly at the stomach, the collar that adorns the top covering her neck. _Good, nobody will ask any questions this way. _She runs her hand over the back of her neck, sighing as she feels the long scars that run over her skin. _No! Don't live in the past! You get to start over here. _Pulling her hands away, she reaches into the trunk and pulls out a pair of dark forest green pants and knee high brown leather boots. She slips them on with ease. _Perfect fit. _Then she's heading for the ladder Robin has descended no more than ten minutes before. The rungs of rope are still warm where his hands had held onto them. She descends the ladder quickly, her feet moving from step to step with ease. She jumps the last few steps, landing with a soft thud on her feet.

"Stunning, in every way." Robin's hand comes gently around her waist, his face resting by her ear. Regina sighs and leans back into his touch, nuzzling her nose gently against his cheek.

"You aren't so bad yourself." She laughs. Robin places a gentle kiss to her cheek before he turns her around so she's facing him, a smile lighting up his pale eyes.

"C'mon, there's someone I want you to meet." He loops his arm in the crook of her elbow and leads her forward, his trek leading them towards the edge of the clearing where the large, curly haired man Regina had seen just yesterday stood, his back to them.

"Little John!" Robin calls out to the man who turns on his heel, his mouth widening into a toothy grin at the sight of Robin. _Strange name. He certainly isn't little._

"Robin! And…" John trails off, his eyes falling to Regina.

"I won't need to be telling you off again today, will I?" Regina tried to hold in the laughter that began bubbling to the surface, causing her lips to turn into an off smile. She had only been joking, but the man's eyes widened in fear and he looked to Robin for support. She couldn't fight the laughter anymore.

"I'm only kidding!" She laughed, extending her hand for John to shake. "I'm Regina. And you must be John." The man's worried expression faded and was replaced with a warm smile and jolly laugh that was so contagious, even Regina found herself laughing as well. John took her hand in a quick, firm shake, his hands proving to be quite larger than her own.

"You would be correct! Pardon me for asking m'lady but, how did you come across a man such as Robin?" He raised an eyebrow in curiosity, one of the curls that fell to his face bouncing from the sudden change in facial expression.

"Well, I was just going to the tavern and I met him! He invited me to come here, escape from the palace a-" She froze, her whole body going stiff. "I mean, not the palace! I don't live in a palace!" She was rambling now, trying to think off an excuse the curly haired man would believe. "I mean I just… I don't know what I mean." Her mouth twitched into a defeated frown, her eyes traveling down to the toes of her boots. _You idiot!_

"Regina, I may be a thief but I'm not dumb." She looked up, John was laughing. "I knew you were the queen the moment I saw you! I mean you are very well known, being the queen and all."

"Well, John, I'm not the queen anymore. I left that life behind an-" A voice piped up behind Regina.

"Oh, so now we have royalty in the camp! How delightful!" The voice dripped with sarcasm that had Regina's blood boiling in anger, her hands turning to tight fist. The owner of the voice came around, settling beside John. It was the woman who had been glaring at Regina yesterday. _Of course it's her._

"Regina, this is Marian." Robin spoke up, gesturing to the women. Regina didn't try to hide the scowl that twisted her features as she glared at Marian. The woman returned the glare with one of her own.

"I am not royalty. I left that life behind." Regina's voice was nothing less than a snarl, her eyes squinted slightly in an angry stare. She felt Robin's fingers leave her arm, only to return seconds later, entwined with her own fingers, as if to comfort her. She couldn't help but notice the look that crossed Marian's face, one full of anger, shock. _Jealousy. She loves Robin. _Regina tightened her grip around Robin's fingers, pulling him closer until there was no space between them, their shoulders bumping into one another at the closeness. Marian scowled. Apparently, John sensed the sharp tension. He spoke up, his voice bringing Regina out of her angry haze.

"Why don't we go down to the river?" His question was directed towards Robin and Regina, but Marian was the first to pipe up, her voice annoyingly excited.

"Sure! I'll go. Robin, are you coming?" She batted her eyelashes flirtatiously, but Robin ignored it. Instead he turned and focused his attention on Regina.

"Do you want to go?" Regina smiled at him, ignoring the anger radiating from where Marian stood a few feet away.

"Of course I want to go." Robin smiled, leaning down and giving her lips a quick kiss before looking to John. "Lead the way!"

Regina jumped, her feet landing with ease on the fallen log. She turned to Robin, who was just behind her. "C'mon, slowpoke!"

"Oh, just be quiet." Robin laughed, jumping with equal ease onto the log.

"So how much farther is this river?" She questioned. She would never admit it, but on the journey she had tripped on a root, rolling her ankle slightly. The pain was bearable, but she could feel the muscles swelling, heat radiating from the wound.

Robin looked down the path ahead of them, where John and Marian were pushing a fallen limb out of the way. "Just up this hill, then we take a right past the fallen tree, and we'll be at the river."

"Alright, seems easy eno-" Regina leaped from the log, her feet hit the ground with a thud. She doubles over, the pain searing her entire leg until she can no longer stand.

"Regina!" Robin leaped from the log, rushing to her side, his calloused hands came to her shoulders, supporting her as she leaned forward, her legs no longer able to support her collapsing form, her head spinning and her mind fuzzy from pain."What's wrong? What happened?" His eyes scan her frantically for injury. When he finds nothing he ask her again, his voice laced with worry. "Regina! What happened?"

"My ankle!" She gasped as another wave of white-hot pain shot up her leg. Robin gathered her into his arms, settling her so that her back was leaning against the rough bark of a tree. She leaned her head back against the rough surface, gritting her teeth as Robin gently extracted the boot from her foot.

"Regina, there is no possible way this could have just happened from jumping off of a log! Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" Robin spoke as he examined the ankle. The skin around it was purple and black, except for the skin that was covered in a fine layer of blood where her skin was broken.

Regina shook her head, trying to block out the pain. "I didn't want you to think I was weak and couldn't handle myself." Her voice hitched as Robin prodded her ankle, searching for the worst of the damage. His hand froze at her words, his blue eyes traveling to meet hers.

"Everyone gets hurt sometimes." His voice was almost a plea. "That doesn't make you weak."

"My mother always told me that no matter what, you put on a pretty face, impress everybody else, then suffer your pain when no one could see it." She let her shoulders slump against the bark. "She always told me she wanted what was best for me. She only wanted what was best for her."

Robin picked up her hand and laced their fingers together. It seemed like whenever she was upset, he held onto her hand, as if the world couldn't hurt her if he did. Regina looked into his eyes. He wore a sad smile on his usually happy face. "If I could take all your pain away, I would."

"My pain made me who I am." Regina closed her eyes, letting out a deep sigh before she opened them again.

"You are an amazing, talented, smart, beautiful woman, Regina. You do not deserve the terrible things you are put through."

"Robin… I- I" _Just say it Regina! _"I um- I lo-" Regina jerks as a loud voice sounds from the trail a few yards off. Her sentence is cut short as another stabbing pain shoots through her ankle. She sucks in a sharp breath through her teeth.

"Robin, what's going on? We turned around and you weren't b- what happened?!" John steps closer when he see's the black and purple mess of Regina's ankle.

"I can't tell if it's just sprained or if it's broken." Robin admits, his fingers tightening around Regina's.

"Well, maybe you should make her stand and find out." This time, Marian's shrill voice broke the silence. Robin looked up at the woman, his eyes and mouth forming an angry frown.

"Are you trying to get her hurt even more?" Robin's voice was harsh. If Regina wasn't in so much pain she might have laughed, but new waves of agony were forcing her face into a twisted look of horror. "The camp is too far, she needs a splint now." Robin gathered her into his arms again, one arm under her knee while the other supported her shoulders. She gently leaned her head against his chest, breathing in his fresh forest scent.

"The best place to find wood sturdy and flat enough for a splint would be the river." John gestured down the path with his thumb.

"Alright, lets go." Robin took a few shaky steps forward, adjusting to the new addition of weight. Regina let her eyes close for a moment, relishing in the safety she felt in his arms, in his warm scent that surrounded her.

"Robin?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad I left the castle."

"So am I."

"How does it feel?" Robin's voice was soft and kind as he stroked his fingers through her hair gently. They sat on a large flat rock that protruded into the river, water sloshed violently at the edges, threatening to spill from its steady course and soak them. Regina sat in front of Robin, one leg extended out in front of her, a heavy splint weighing down her ankle. Robin's fingers worked through her dark hair, twisting and weaving the long strands.

"It still hurts a little, but not nearly as bad as it did." Regina leaned back slightly, supporting her weight with her hands.

"There! Done!" Robin clapped his hands together.

"What did you do?" Regina laughed. She reached behind her head. Her fingers curled around a braid that was perfectly tied off at the bottom. "You know how to braid?"

"Well considering I grew up with a sister who insisted I braid her hair every morning, I'd say so." He laughed again. _Robin has a sister?_

"I didn't know you had a sister." Regina turned slightly so that she could see his face. His warm smile had disappeared, a sad look of regret replacing it.

"Yes, well, I don't anymore." He looked down, his eyes filling with unshed tears.

"Robin… What happened?" Regina scooted closer to him, trying her hardest to bring him some comfort, but his eyes stayed focused on the hard rock they sat on, his once beautiful blue eyes glassy, as if he was living in some horrid memory.

"It was my fault." His voice cracked. "Four years ago we were going to rob the castle of a young woman. She was twelfth in line for the throne but she had riches galore. My sister, Anna Belle, insisted on coming. I tried to tell her no, but she wouldn't have it. I let her come. We made it in and out of the castle, we had stolen three bags full of gold. The guards saw us though. They came chasing after us. Anna was a year older than me, she thought it was her duty to protect me. The guard shot an arrow at me and-" A tear slipped down his cheek. "Anna jumped in front of me. She died as soon as the arrow hit her. It was all my fault. I should have told her not to come." Robin shook his head, a heavy sigh slipping past his teeth. "All my fault."

Regina reached towards him, gripping his hand tightly with her own. Anger welled up inside her. She wanted to hurt the person who had caused him so much pain. _Calm down. Conceal it. If you don't they'll all know. _She took a deep breath, feeling the magic that had been bubbling at her fingertips not but a few seconds ago, go back into hiding. "Robin it isn't your fault, you couldn't have done anything to stop her from going, even if you had tried."

"I could have! If I had tried harder, she wouldn't be dead."

"Hey! Look at me!" Regina lifted her fingers to his chin, forcing his eyes to meet hers. She hated seeing him in so much pain. "This is NOT your fault. I have seen so many people deliberately put their family in danger Robin. My own mother put me in danger to get what she wanted! You are not one of those people! I know you! And I know you would protect your family with everything you had. Don't think for one second that it's your fault, because deep down you know it isn't."

'Regin-" Regina put her hand over his mouth, she smiled, trying to cheer him up.

"Ah, ah, ah! Don't question your queen!" He laughed at her, the sound muffled by her hand. She pulled her hand away and Robin smiled lovingly at her.

"I thought you hated being queen?"

"It has its benefits… sometimes."

"Are you sure about that?" Robin's eyes brightened as he teased her. She let out a sigh of a relief at his returned happiness. She hated the sadness that clouded his eyes and the way his head fell when he was upset.

"Not at all." Regina laughed, the collar of her leather riding vest falling flat as her shoulders rose and fell.

"What's this?" Robin's eyes had left her face and now examined the back of her neck, where moments before her collar had done a good job of concealing. Her laughter died down.

"It's nothing." Regina ran her hand over the scars that adorned the back of her skin as if they would disappear from her skin and Robin's memory with the simple motion. But it wasn't that easy.

"I think it's more than nothing. How did you get these?" Robin reached for her hand, gently shifting it out of the way as he ran his finger over a deep, nasty scar.

"I just fell off a horse when I was younger..." Her voice was muffled, she had every intention of not letting him hear her answer.

"Hmm?" Robin looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"I said it was a horse!" She could feel the guilt building inside her as she sat in front of the man she loved and lied to his face. She had always been able to lie well, another nasty trick she learned from her horrible mother, but it just felt so wrong lying to the man who trusted her like nobody else had.

"Regina? I can tell you're lying. What happened?"

"It doesn't matter, it's in the past." Regina averted her gaze to the roaring water, trying her hardest not to meet Robin's eyes.

"It does matter! Regina I care about you, what happened?"

"What happened is none of your concern!" Her voice is icy, Robin flinches slightly at her anger.

"It is my concern Regina! All I want is for you to be safe and happy!" Robin paused, taking a deep breath. His tone calmed. "Please, tell me."

"It- it was just." _You can trust him Regina. _"It's just, some people can't control their anger." She could feel Robin's questioning gaze still trained on her face. "That's all there is to it."

"Regin-"

"I said thats all there is to it!" She turned her gaze to look Robin in the eyes, her own gaze cold and unmoving. He didn't need to worry about her. She felt her heart ache as his face fell, his gaze dropping quickly to the ground.

"I'm sorry. I'll just- just stay here. I saw a black berry bush not far up the path, I'll go get some." His voice was muffled as he stood and turned towards the path. Sadness welled up in Regina, she took a deep breath, ready to call him back. But she had never been good at expressing her feelings.

"It's not like I can go anywhere!" She snapped at his retreating form. Angry at herself for being so cruel to him, she slammed her enclosed fist onto the rough rock underneath her, gritting her teeth as her knuckles met the surface, breaking the skin there.

"Why don't you just go crawling back to that little king of yours, _your majesty_?Maybe this time he'll actually kill you." Marian stands a few feet away from her, her lips twisted in a disgusting smirk. _What I wouldn't give to just rip your hair right off of your stupid little head._

"Get over yourself Marian." It is all she can say without going into a full rant so loud that she knows the entire forest would here.

"What's the matter Regina? Are you worried that your precious little Robin will leave you just like everyone else?" Regina lets a heavy breath out of her nose. _Conceal it. _"Oh! Maybe you're afraid he'll treat you like your precious mommy did! So cruel!" Her fist clench at her sides. _Don't feel it. _"Maybe you're scared he'll betray you just like sweet little Snow?" She can practically feel the magic trying to force it's way from her fingers, her anger encouraging it to reveal itself to the world with a brutal introduction. _Don't let it- _"Oh I know! You're afraid someone will kill him because of you! Just like that precious dead fiancé of yours!" And she can't contain it anymore. The magic radiates off of her in waves, sending Marian skidding across the rough surface of the rock. _No._

"You're a witch!"


End file.
